Тацуноко Про: Жапон анимациясының тарихы мен жетістіктері

Japanese animation studio

Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. (株式会社タツノコプロ) and often shortened to Tatsunoko Pro (タツノコプロ), is a Japanese animation company. The studio's name has a double meaning in Japanese: "Tatsu's child" (Tatsu is a nickname for Tatsuo) and "sea dragon", the inspiration for its seahorse logo. Tatsunoko Production was established in 1962 and is engaged in the planning and production of anime films and television series, as well as character licensing. The company produced many hit anime series from the 1960s through the 1980s, and holds numerous original rights and character copyrights for its original works in Japan and abroad. Since the first work, Space Ace, they have produced many works such as Speed Racer, Hakushon Daimaō, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, and the Time Bokan series, supporting the dawn of Japanese animation. Although the company later began producing works set in Japan, it has basically aimed from its inception to produce works that can be used anywhere in the world in a stateless manner. In the past, Tatsunoko had a production system in which almost all processes, from planning to scriptwriting, drawing, cinematography, and editing, were completed in house. The company continued to use this system for a long time after Toei Doga and Mushi Production, which had a similar production system, became unsustainable due to streamlining and bankruptcy. Initially, Founder Tatsuo Yoshida tried to establish his studio's own style with realistic drawings that accurately depicted muscles and skeletons. At that time, it was common knowledge that animation was to be abbreviated or deformed, and that pictures were to be simplified as much as possible to show movement. Even Mushi Production and Disney used to draw the car so that when it starts, it first contracts like rubber and then jumps out like a bullet due to the recoil, and when it stops, it contracts once due to braking and then extends and returns to its original state. For the scene where the car spins, he rented a driving school and had the driver actually demonstrate the spin with the car, and had the animators draw the scene without deforming it by referring to the demonstration. It was so well received that it became the studio's origin and led to subsequent realistic, hard action works. It initially began as a production company specializing in manga to manage the copyrights of Tatsuo Yoshida's manga and his assistants. However, at that time, the broadcast of Astro Boy, Japan's first domestically produced anime television series produced by Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Production, had just begun, and the manga artist community was abuzz. Tatsuo saw that more and more people were buying televisions in the early 1960s and predicted that they would demand higher quality anime program in the future, so he decided to provide it to them. It was a good deal for Tatsunoko, which was entrusted with the original story, script, and direction, while Toei worked on the subsequent inbetweening, finishing, cinematography, etc., and Toei trained animators over a three month period, with Tatsunoko staff, including Tatsuo and Sasagawa, also able to participate in training. At the time, color TVs were not widely available in Japan, and most households watched TV programs in black and white, but Tatsunoko dared to produce this series in full color, assuming from the start that it would be broadcast in the United States. At that time, Hiroshi Sasagawa, who excelled at comedies, and Hisayuki Toriumi, who had a hard, serious style, supported Tatsunoko's heyday in the 1970s as the two signatures. Also during this period, Tatsunoko was trying to bring up university educated directors in house, following the example of Toei Doga, instead of hiring directors from outside the company. Those were Mizuho Nishikubo, Kōichi Mashimo, Hidehito Ueda, and Mamoru Oshii. On September 5, 1977, Tatsuo Yoshida passed away from liver cancer. Kenji Yoshida was appointed as the second president. Around that time, Tatsunoko's production site was on the verge of collapse due to busyness and lack of funds, and there was a steady flow of personnel out of the company, particularly members from the pioneering period. Later, however, Bigwest produced a sequel, Super Dimensional Fortress Macross II: Lovers Again, without Tatsunoko or Studio Nue, and in response, Tatsunoko signed a contract with Harmony Gold USA without the consent of Bigwest and Nue, resulting in a dispute over intellectual property rights. In Japan, Tatsunoko sued Bigwest and Studio Nue over copyright and won, but conversely lost a lawsuit filed by them over character and mecha design. As a result of the trial, it was decided that Tatsunoko Productions would retain ownership of the film of the work, but that the designs would be shared by Bigwest and Studio Nue. Meanwhile, overseas, Harmony Gold USA, which had obtained the license, adapted and broadcast several Tatsunoko works as a single epic Robotech series depicting different eras and generations in the same world. Bigwest and Harmony Gold had different claims over the rights to the Macross and Robotech series for many years, and Macross was not developed for business worldwide and Robotech in Japan. However, in 2021, the two companies announced an agreement regarding worldwide rights to the Macross and Robotech series from that point forward. This will allow the Macross series to be developed globally and confirms that Bigwest does not object to the release of a live action Robotech movie in Japan. In 1990, Tatsunoko Anime Technology Research Institute led by Koji Sugii became independent and participated in the establishment of Animation 21. In 1995, Kenji Yoshida returned to Tatsunoko Production and became its first chairman. Since the 1990s, Tatsunoko has brought back former key staff members, including Hiroshi Sasagawa, who had left the company, and has been producing mainly remakes of older works. On June 3, 2005, major toy manufacturer Takara (now Takara Tomy) acquired 88% of Tatsunoko's stock from the Yoshida family, making the company a subsidiary. Accordingly, Chairman Kenji Yoshida and President Ippei Kuri resigned, and the entire Yoshida family, including executives, left the management of Tatsunoko Production. In the same year, Tatsuo Yoshida was awarded the Special Achievement Award as one of the 20 People Who Made Japanese Animation at the Tokyo Anime Award held at the Tokyo International Anime Fair. In 2010, Production I. G. acquired 11.2% of Tatsunoko's outstanding shares. Additionally, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, president of Production I. G and IG Port, becomes non executive director of Tatsunoko Production. In 2013, Horipro acquired 13.5% of the shares, making it the second largest shareholder (at the time) after Takara Tomy. In the same year, the company changed its name from (竜の子プロダクション) (written in kanji) to (タツノコプロ) (written in katakana). At the same time, the head office was relocated from Kokubunji City, Tokyo to Musashino City, and the dispersed corporate functions were consolidated. At Anime Expo 2013, Sentai Filmworks announced a deal to license and release some of Tatsunoko's titles, including Gatchaman and Casshan. In 2014, Nippon TV acquired 54.3% of the outstanding shares held by Takara Tomy and made Tatsunoko Production a subsidiary. Takara Tomy continued to hold a 20% stake in the company and maintained the partnership. In 2019, Tatsunoko founded a new label, Bakken Record. In the same year, four people associated with Tatsunoko received the Achievement Award at the Tokyo Anime Award: Kunio Okawara, Akiyoshi Sakai, Hisayuki Toriumi, and Tsuneo Ninomiya. Yuuzou Kuwahara (2014–2019)
Daisuke Kadoya (2019–2022)
Kyou Itou (2022–present)

Title Series director Broadcast network(s) Year(s) Notes Cheerful Dwarves of the Forest: Belfy and LillibitMasayuki HayashiTokyo 12 BroadcastingJanuary 7 – July 7, 1980 Adapted by Saban Entertainment into The Littl' Bits, which ran on the Nick Jr. Channel from 1991 to 1995 The Time Bokan Series: Time Patrol Team OtasukemanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVFebruary 2, 1980 – January 31, 1981Fourth installment of the Time Bokan Series Dashing Warrior MutekingSeitaro HaraFuji TVSeptember 7, 1980 – September 27, 1981 The Great Navy War: 20,000 Miles of LoveIppei KuriNippon TVJanuary 3, 1981Made for TV anime film; loosely adapted from Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Adapted into English by Harmony Gold as simply Undersea Encounter The Time Bokan Series: YattodetamanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVFebruary 7, 1981 – February 6, 1982Fifth installment of the Time Bokan Series Golden Warrior Gold LightanKōichi MashimoTokyo 12 BroadcastingMarch 1, 1981 – February 18, 1982 Dash KappeiMasayuki Hayashi, Seitaro HaraFuji TVOctober 4, 1981 – December 26, 1982Adapted from the manga by Noboru Rokuda, which was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday manga magazine from November 1979 to November 1982 The Time Bokan Series: Gyakuten! IppatsumanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVFebruary 13, 1982 – March 26, 1983Sixth installment of the Time Bokan Series Mirai Keisatsu UrashimanKōichi MashimoFuji TVJanuary 9 – December 24, 1983Adapted from the manga by Hirohisa Soda and Noboru Akashi, which was serialized in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shonen Champion manga magazines The Time Bokan Series: ItadakimanHiroshi SasagawaFuji TVApril 9 – September 24, 1983Seventh and final installment of the Time Bokan Series; returned briefly in 1993 as an OVA titled Royal Revival; resumed in 2000 with Kaito Kiramekiman Genesis Climber MOSPEADAKatsuhisa YamadaFuji TVOctober 2, 1983 – March 23, 1984Adapted by Harmony Gold USA as Robotech: The New Generation in 1985, co production with Artmic Starzan SHidehito UedaFuji TVJanuary 7 – August 25, 1984Adapted from an original concept by Hiroshi Sasagawa Super Dimension Cavalry Southern CrossYasuo HasegawaMBSApril 15 – September 30, 1984Adapted by Harmony Gold USA into Robotech: The Masters in 1985 Yoroshiku MechadocHidehito UedaFuji TVSeptember 1, 1984 – March 30, 1985Adapted from the manga of the same name by Ryuji Tsugihara, which was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine from November 1982 to March 1985 Fire of Alpen Rose: Judy and RandyHidehito UedaFuji TVApril 6 – October 5, 1985Adapted from the manga, Alpen Rose, by Michiyo Akaishi, which was serialized in Shogakukan's Ciao manga magazine for female readers from April 1983 to May 1986 Showa Era Idiot Story Book: Most RefinedHidehito UedaTV AsahiOctober 7, 1985 – March 24, 1986Adapted from the manga of the same name by Yuu Azuki, which was serialized in Shueisha's Margaret manga magazine for female readers from 1985 to 1987 Shonen Jump Special: Kochira Katsushika ku Kameari Kōen mae HashutsujoHiroshi SasagawaAnime Film; Shown at 1985 Shonen Jump Film FestivalNovember 23, 1985Adapted from the manga of the same name by Osamu Akimoto, which was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine from October 1976 to September 2016; presented as a double feature with Shonen Jump Special: Kimagure Orange Road, which was animated by Studio Pierrot The Legend of HikariTomomi MochizukiABCMay 3 – September 20, 1986Adapted from the manga of the same name by Izumi Aso, which was serialized in Shueisha's Ribon manga magazine for female readers from 1985 to December 1988 DoteramanShinya SadamitsuNTVOctober 14, 1986 – February 24, 1987Tatsunoko's first TV anime to be broadcast on NTV in 15 years since Animentary Ketsudan Red Photon ZillionMizuho NishikuboNTVApril 12 – December 13, 1987After the production of the anime, Tatsunoko Production and Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, the producer of Zillion, established IG Tatsunoko (which later became Production I. G) to obstruct the dispersing of the excellent staffs of Tatsunoko branch which had done actual production. Therefore, Zillion is considered to be Production I. G's first work. Also co produced by Sega, which had a fine relationship with Tatsunoko until they purchased rival studio TMS in 1992. Oraa Guzura DadoHiroshi SasagawaTV TokyoOctober 12, 1987 – September 20, 1988Color remake of the 1967 series Legend of Heavenly Sphere ShuratoMizuho NishikuboTV TokyoApril 6, 1989 – January 18, 1990Adapted from the manga of the same name by Hiroshi Kawamoto, which was serialized in Shonen Gahosha's Shonen King manga magazine from February to September 1988 Konchū Monogatari: Minashigo HutchIku SuzukiNTVJuly 21, 1989 – August 31, 1990Modern remake of the 1970 anime Honeybee Hutch

Title Series director Broadcast network(s) Year(s) Notes Kyatto Ninden TeyandeeKunitoshi OkajimaTV TokyoFebruary 1, 1990 – February 12, 1991Adapted into English by Saban Entertainment as Samurai Pizza Cats in 1991; a Sequel series known as Kyatto Keisatsu Beranmee (or Crime Stoppin' Cats) was planned, but was mysteriously cancelled for unknown reasons The Great Adventure of Robin HoodKōichi MashimoNHKJuly 29, 1990 – October 28, 1992Adapted from the English folktale Robin Hood; also Tatsunoko's first anime to be broadcast on the government owned NHK network Shurato: Dark GenesisYoshihisa MatsumotoOVAAugust 1991 – March 1992Sequel to Legend of Heavenly Sphere Shurato Space Knight Tekkaman BladeHiroshi NegishiTV TokyoFebruary 18, 1992 – February 2, 19931992 reboot of 1975's Space Knight Tekkaman, adapted by Saban Entertainment and Media Blasters into English as Teknoman The Irresponsible Captain TylorKōichi MashimoTV TokyoJanuary 25 – July 19, 1993Adapted from the light novel series of the same name by Hitoshi Yoshioka, which was serialized in Fujimi Shobo's Fujimi Fantasia Bunko magazines from January 1989 to January 1996 Casshan: Robot HunterHiroyuki Fukushima, Masashi Abe, Takashi WatanabeOVAAugust 21, 1993 – February 21, 19941993 remake of 1973's Neo Human Casshan; co produced by Artmic and Gainax Time Bokan: Royal Revival (1993–1994)Hiroshi Sasagawa, Akiyuki ShinboOVANovember 26, 1993 – January 1, 1994Direct to video installment of Time Bokan Series The Legend of Snow White (NHK) (1994–1995)Tsuneo NinomiyaNHKApril 6, 1994 – March 29, 1995Adaptation of the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm; adapted into several languages by Mondo Media Tekkaman Blade IIHideki TonokatsuOVAJuly 21, 1994 – April 21, 1995Sequel to 1992's Tekkaman Blade GatchamanAkihiko Nishiyama OVAOctober 1, 1994 – April 1, 19951994 reboot of 1972's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman; co produced by Artmic Dokkan! Robotendon Hiroshi SasagawaTV TokyoOctober 5, 1995 – March 28, 1996 Cinderella MonogatariHiroshi SasagawaNHKApril 4 – October 3, 1996Adapted from the fairy tale by Charles Perrault Hurricane Polymar: Holy BloodAkiyuki ShinboOVASeptember 21, 1996 – February 21, 19971996 reboot of 1974's Hurricane Polymar; co produced by J. C. Staff Mach GoGoGoHiroshi SasagawaTV TokyoJanuary 9 – September 25, 19971997 reboot of 1967's Mach GoGoGo; adapted into English by DiC Entertainment as Speed Racer X in 2002 Generator GawlSeiji MizushimaTV TokyoOctober 6 – December 22, 1998Seikimatsu Densetsu: Wonderful Tatsunoko LandHiroshi SasagawaTBSDecember 31, 1999TV special

Title Series director / Genre Broadcast network(s) / Platform(s) Year(s) Notes Tatsunoko Fight Electronics Application (Eleca) PSX October 5, 2000 Video game featuring an exclusive character, Denkou Senka Volter Time Bokan 2000: Kaitou Kiramekiman Hidehito Ueda TV Tokyo April 5, 2000 – September 27, 2000 The SoulTaker Akiyuki Shinbo WOWOW April 4, 2001 – July 4, 2001 Yobarete Tobidete Akubi chan Hiroshi Sagasawa TV Tokyo December 11, 2001 – March 26, 2002 Spin off of The Genie FamilyNurse Witch Komugi Yasuhiro Takemoto & Yoshitomo Yonetani OVA August 8, 2002 – April 2, 2004 Co production with Kyoto Animation; spin off of The SoulTakerFate/stay night Visual novel PC January 30, 2004 Video game; Opening animations Karas Keiichi Sato OVA March 25, 2005 – August 3, 2007 Tatsunoko's 40th anniversary work; combined into a two part film in the west by Manga Entertainment Akubi Girl Hiroshi Sagasawa TV Tokyo 2006 Remake to Yobarete Tobidete Akubi chan Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Tommy Yune, Dong Wook Lee & Yeun Sook Seo Movie January 5, 2007 co production with Harmony Gold USAFate/stay night Réalta Nua Visual novel PS2 April 19, 2007 Video game; Opening animations Yatterman Hiroshi Sagasawa YTV January 14, 2008 – September 27, 2009 Remake of 1977 Series Casshern Sins Shigeyasu Yamauchi MBS October 1, 2008 – March 15, 2009 Re imaging of the 1973 series; Animation production by Madhouse Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Cross Generation of Heroes Fighting Wii December 11, 2008 Video game; Tatsunoko also animated Cross Generation's opening and anime cutscenes.